NH International Rugby
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@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@sparky said in NH International Rugby:
Ireland ain't even fielding their top side against Wales. Ouch.
Let’s hope they come unstuck as others have in the past
Nah. That’s usually England
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Ben Youngs, England's most capped player, has announced he is retiring next month:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c89gqj1d25lo
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@sparky said in NH International Rugby:
Ben Youngs, England's most capped player, has announced he is retiring next month:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c89gqj1d25lo
Only ever played for Leicester too, I think, and a quick Google confirms
"This weekend he will play his 333rd game for the club. Add in 127 for England, two Tests for the Lions and a turn for the Barbarians"
'Youngs has chosen to turn down Racing 92 and offers from Japan meaning Leicester will be both his beginning and his end.'
The celebrated Leicester, England and British & Irish Lions scrum-half has decided to call it a day while still at the top of his game
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@Machpants said in NH International Rugby:
@sparky said in NH International Rugby:
Ben Youngs, England's most capped player, has announced he is retiring next month:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c89gqj1d25lo
Only ever played for Leicester too, I think, and a quick Google confirms
"This weekend he will play his 333rd game for the club. Add in 127 for England, two Tests for the Lions and a turn for the Barbarians"
'Youngs has chosen to turn down Racing 92 and offers from Japan meaning Leicester will be both his beginning and his end.'
The celebrated Leicester, England and British & Irish Lions scrum-half has decided to call it a day while still at the top of his game
That's the book sorted
Great story
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Some interesting stats here
'Haves and have nots': The Six Nations numbers reveal hidden truths
World Rugby's statistical review shows an uptick in points and drama, but more issues at scrum time and questions about beefy benches.
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Interesting, if incomplete read.
Nick Bishop’s replies in the Comments Section are very illuminating!
He comes across as someone obsessed with numbers not nuance.
It’s pretty obvious to anyone with a modicum of rugby IQ (the new buzz phrase) that the ‘two tier’ appearance of the 6N is a direct result of the player base and funding at the club/regional level.
The top three teams finished stronger because the fall off from their starting to finishing players was not as dramatic as the bottom three teams both in terms of ability and experience.
Wales winning the 6N is arguably a bigger achievement than an England, France, or Ireland winning the Grand Slam. I would have included Italy and Scotland in this but as shit as Wales has been the past 2-3 seasons the other two aren’t winning it any time soon.
One thing which wasn’t mentioned/analysed is the impact not competing at the lineout has made to to the game.
Why any defending team inside their own 22 would give the attacking team an uncontested opportunity to win the ball, set up a maul, and more often than not score a try baffles me
Check that, why wouldn’t you compete at every lineout regardless of field position?
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OK so the Argies are not an NH team and the game was not played in the NH but… I can’t be arsed to start a whole new thread.
England played Argentina on an absolute cabbage patch of a pitch yesterday and upset the odds in fine style, winning quite comfortably in the end. God knows what happened to the Argies between the Lions game and this one but their accuracy was AWOL for most of the game.
Bright spots for England: front row fronted up well, including the replacements. Alex Coles made his mark in the second row. The back row was dynamic with a good balance - Willis HAS to be our 8 from now on. George Ford did his George Ford thing vey well. Atkinson went well at 12. Muir, Roebuck and Murley are looking like International wingers.
Downsides: There’s a big drop off in quality at 9 after Mitchell. We need to look beyond Slade at 13. We have little cover at Lock.
However a great game for an England fan and even a few bits to keep the neutrals interested.
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@Catogrande said in NH International Rugby:
George Ford did his George Ford thing vey well.
I thought Ford was pretty spectacular. If there’s any young first fives in New Zealand who wonder how you should play flat to the line, they’d do well to take a close look at George Ford’s game against Argentina in La Plata.
I’ll highlight just one period in the game which I think exemplifies Ford’s flat style of play, focusing on the English multiphase sequence in the 28th minute in the first half originating from a lineout attack near the Argentina 22. During the six phases that follow the successful lineout, Ford touches the ball 6 times, each time in touching distance from the Argentina defensive line.
Ford made sure to play right on top of the Argentina defensive line, constantly being in motion while drawing defenders onto him, before releasing the ball to other players in movement. He made sure to vary his distribution, constantly shifting the point of the attack.
With the Argentina defence fragmented and running out of numbers, Ford ups the tempo further and moves into an even flatter position, seeking to land the killer blow.
It was very nearly a perfect attacking sequence. While the movement ultimately came to naught due to a Roebuck knock-on, it was a sign of things to come. Ford would further dismantle the Argentinean defence in the second half, the game eventually finishing 35 to 12 in favour of the visitors. While Ford has his detractors, I’m not sure there are a lot of first fives in rugby union who come close to his ability to play flat. When he’s on like this, he’s a joy to watch.
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When he’s on song and has guys running the right lines, his ability to unpick defences is very good. Finn Smith is similar but contrast him in the Lions game. A more in your face defence and runners not giving the same options. Totally different outcome.
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If he stays fit, Pepper should have the same meteoric rise as Pollock
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You're right. It's more interesting to see who has been left out. Only one scrum half. Does that mean Borthwick doesn't rate any of the others or can't decide? It's worth remembering here that he only picked Mitchell almost by accident at RWC 23. He wasn't even in the initial squad, got taken as cover and became No1 almost immediately. Underhill is clearly out of favour to one degree or another which is odd as he was immense against Argentina on tour.. No out and out 6 either although Tom Curry and Chessum both offer an option there in different ways. Slade is in having been dropped for the RWC not so long ago. Hmmm.
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@Mauss said in NH International Rugby:
@Catogrande said in NH International Rugby:
George Ford did his George Ford thing vey well.
I thought Ford was pretty spectacular. If there’s any young first fives in New Zealand who wonder how you should play flat to the line, they’d do well to take a close look at George Ford’s game against Argentina in La Plata.
I’ll highlight just one period in the game which I think exemplifies Ford’s flat style of play, focusing on the English multiphase sequence in the 28th minute in the first half originating from a lineout attack near the Argentina 22. During the six phases that follow the successful lineout, Ford touches the ball 6 times, each time in touching distance from the Argentina defensive line.
Ford made sure to play right on top of the Argentina defensive line, constantly being in motion while drawing defenders onto him, before releasing the ball to other players in movement. He made sure to vary his distribution, constantly shifting the point of the attack.
With the Argentina defence fragmented and running out of numbers, Ford ups the tempo further and moves into an even flatter position, seeking to land the killer blow.
It was very nearly a perfect attacking sequence. While the movement ultimately came to naught due to a Roebuck knock-on, it was a sign of things to come. Ford would further dismantle the Argentinean defence in the second half, the game eventually finishing 35 to 12 in favour of the visitors. While Ford has his detractors, I’m not sure there are a lot of first fives in rugby union who come close to his ability to play flat. When he’s on like this, he’s a joy to watch.
After the Poms ambushed ABs in 2019 semi, TWM were reported as wondering where Ford had been hiding. Always felt he was the premier attacking English 10, but coaches preferred Farrell, who is an attacking cart horse in comparison.
